


The Android in the Attic

by 9shadowcat9



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 17:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15394131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9shadowcat9/pseuds/9shadowcat9
Summary: “Look, just come out and we can help you. We can get you to the hospital and take a statement there.” Something was odd and Hank was still putting the pieces together when a hand moved out from behind the chair. White ski…Hank watched as the man… android pulled himself out from behind the chair. His uniform was coated in blood, it was splattered across his face. But Hank found himself more focused on the arms. The android’s skin, colored like dark chocolate, was covered in burns and cuts. The white on his hands was the sign of his skin being damaged so severely damaged that the androids auto repair had failed, the white turning blue where the skin had been ripped off entirely.Hank stared as the android made a noise of fear, his LED red on his forehead.





	The Android in the Attic

“Stay here while I check something.” Hank ordered as Connor walked over.

Hank walked off quickly, ignoring the androids attempts at talking to him. Androids. He was already sick of it, and it hadn’t really done anything to him. Aside from summoning Hank from his favorite bar and demanding his presence. It was the way it talked, even if the voice carried emotion there was always something off about it. The pitch or the inflections.

Which was why Hank had decided to look in the attic. If it gave him a break from Connor for five minutes, it would be worth wandering through cobwebs and dust to look for nothing. He grabbed a nearby chair and used it to climb into the attic after a word with a nearby cop so they knew where he was. Odds were, Carlos’ android was already gone. It had been weeks since the murder and if it had any sense, the android would have left as soon as possible.

If it had been the android and not a gang member who had stabbed Carlos. The Detroit Angels had had large control of the red ice supply for years and would have been _very_ interested in the fact Carlos was selling. Either way, he’d probably leave the attic to find Connor telling him everything about the crime scene and what had happened.

It was a sad thought, that soon Hank would be retired for an android. Even one as advanced as the android who was determined to follow him where ever he went. To be a detective without a shred of emotion, just running on logic alone. It was a thought that made shivers run down Hank’s spin. With that thought, Hank closed the attic door behind him. If it wasn’t for the fact that he could end up needing support, he’d have locked it as well.

He clicked on his torch with a frown. The attic was dusty and filled with junk. No surprises there. Hank turned slowly and jumped when he saw the humanoid figure behind a curtain. It wasn’t moving, which could mean android. Hank crept forward, hand on his gun as he reached for the curtain. If it was the android, there wouldn’t be much that could help him anyway. Damn things were strong and fast.

The curtain moved with ease, revealing a mannequin.

“God damn it.” Hank hissed, his heart still beating in his chest. He’d become panicked over a mannequin. He moved, following the only pathway through the junk blocking most of the attic. His flash light was shone over the wall of items, revealing a tv, more mannequins, books. It was a load of nothing which didn’t help the investigation.

He reached the end of the pathway and turned the flash light to glance down the wall. He’d expected more rubbish to be piled there, ending his break from the determined android in the crime scene. He hadn’t expected wide, frightened eyes to shine back at him illuminated by his light.

“Jesus!” Hank jumped, almost dropping the light as the person scrambled to hide behind a chair before Hank could get a glimpse of them.

He considered yelling, but the memory of terrified eyes stopped him.

Androids never had eyes like that. They were always perfectly blank, even when mimicking the movements of emotion. In Hank’s many years of service, he had seen everything. He knew the eyes of someone who was afraid for their life, had seen it at the end of his gun so many times.

“It’s ok.” Hank reassured, not moving forward. He couldn’t afford to spook them anymore than he had, not if they were hurt. “I’m Lieutenant Hank Anderson of the Detroit PD, I’m trying to help.” He kept his voice low, not making any sudden gestures. Why would someone be in the attic… it was obvious that the person could move so why stay?

Hank could picture scenarios. Kidnapping, threats. Gangs who sold drugs would do anything to anyone, and they knew that the odds were they’d get away with it. But if it was any of the scenarios he was thinking off, the person should be dead from dehydration or hypothermia. He took a small step forward and when he heard nothing, another.

“I promise I’m not going to hurt you. Can you tell me your name?”

“He was going to kill me.” Male, young. Hank stopped, continuing to shine the torch at the chair.

“Look, just come out and we can help you. We can get you to the hospital and take a statement there.” Something was odd and Hank was still putting the pieces together when a hand moved out from behind the chair. White ski…

Hank watched as the man… android pulled himself out from behind the chair. His uniform was coated in blood, it was splattered across his face. But Hank found himself more focused on the arms. The android’s skin, colored like dark chocolate, was covered in burns and cuts. The white on his hands was the sign of his skin being damaged so severely damaged that the androids auto repair had failed, the white turning blue where the skin had been ripped off entirely.

Hank stared as the android made a noise of fear, his LED red on his forehead.

Well, he’d wanted to see an android with more emotion. He’d got his wish, pity the emotion was fear from being very clearly tortured. Hank breathed and the android backed away, almost crawling to hide again.

Hank had two options, calling back up and arresting the deviant android or…

Well, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d let someone go. Abused spouses, parents who’d killed pedophiles. He'd ignored evidence more then once, because sometimes? Sometimes it was the right thing to do. 

“What happened?” He didn’t move, not even when the android stopped his escape attempt in bewilderment. Where was he attempting to go anyway, Hank could see there were no windows back there. He looked like a caged animal, eyes wide and mouth twisting as he stared at the human. “Look, I can see you’re damaged. Who did it?”

It came out gruffer then expected, and Hank watched the android tense before relaxing when he didn’t move.

“Was it Carlos?” Hank continued when he didn’t talk. And there it was, the reaction which Hank had been looking for. Terror, but not of him. The distant look of being trapped in memories, ones that were clearly unpleasant as the android grabbed his burns without thinking. Hank grunted, he’d known Carlos was scum so this wasn't a surprise. “Look, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to know what happened.”

Could Hank turn him in? The android would be destroyed, there was no doubt of that. The android seemed to know that to, looking ready to cry as Hank watched him.

“I was defending myself. He was going to _kill_ me.”

It was the way he said it. It was human, far too perfect for an emotionless android. Hank sat back as the android continued.

“Please, don’t tell them. I don’t want to die.” He whimpered. “I don’t want to die…”

“What’s your name?” Hank asked, making the androids eyes widen.

“I… he never gave me one… He said I wasn’t alive…” Stammering, a sign of nerves. An android was stuttering as he tried to defend himself. Well, at least he now knew why the android had written ‘I’M ALIVE’ on the wall. Hank forced himself to breath in the dusty air, and then made a decision.

“I don’t give a damn what he said, you need a name.” Hank seemed to think as the android’s face changed into something he couldn’t read. Naming had never been his strong point, so instead he just picked a name that popped into his head. “Joseph.” Hank decided. “Let’s call you Joseph.”

The android wasn’t moving, just mouthing the word.

“I… I have a name….” He muttered. “I have a name.” He laughed. “I’m **alive**.”

“Look, I need to go. Stay here till everyone leaves, then get out of the house. Find a nice place to hide. Clean your uniform and face before you leave the house.” Hank added, realizing that the uniform would need to be cleaned and the android would probably forget in his rush to leave. Joseph went to talk and stopped, instead breaking into a big smile that suited him. “If you can’t clean it, find some clothes to wear. Preferably with long sleeve, your arms _will_ grab people’s attention.” Hank added when Joseph didn’t move, instead sitting there smiling like an idiot.

“May ra9 protect you…” Joseph breathed, wonder in his brown eyes. Hank realized the LED had turned blue and wanted to smile back at the android who looked overjoyed at being given a name.

A fucking name. For something so simple to make someone smile like that…

Oh, and apparently androids have religion now as well. Ok, still not the weirdest part of Hank’s day. “And you as well.” Hank offered, Joseph actually made a small noise of joy at the words. “Stay until we’re gone.” Hank repeated, moving to stand. He was old, as his spine reminded him when he reached his full height.

He stumbled and groaned as his spine clicked from being stretched. Joseph kept watching him, but no longer afraid. He seemed content to just sit there, eyes almost sparking at the flashlight moved over them. Well, it wasn’t the first case he’d failed to solve. Probably wouldn’t be the last either, Hank had no regrets as he finished stretching. “Stay safe.” Hank left, not hearing Joseph mutter them back.

He walked through the attic and left, climbing down the chair with clenched teeth. He _was_ getting old, although there was no chance in hell he’d buy a care android like his coworkers liked to joke about. Jerks…

“Lieutenant!” And there was Connor, continuing to look like a kicked puppy when he realized Hank was finished in the attic. “Are you ok, you sound like you’re in pain. Should I request a medic?”

It was amazing how different Connor and Joseph were. Connor’s worry was almost textbook in how it was presented, inflection of the words somehow perfect and off at the same time. It made the terror in Joseph’s eyes seem all the more horrifying, because Carlos had made an android scared for his life. If there had been any doubt about leaving him, that thought removed it entirely.

“I’m fine, I’m just old. The attic’s empty.” Hank kept walking as Connor followed him, listening as the android began saying its… his theory on what had happened. It was a good theory, matching with what Joseph had told him.

“The thirium leads to the attic.” Connor finished, making Hank pause. Well, crap. He turned and glared at Connor, pausing when he saw that Connor looked nervous. Was it a good imitation, or were androids actually feeling emotion and not noticing? “Lieutenant… Are you sure you looked everywhere?”

“Are you accusing me of not looking?!” Hank snapped, drawing attention. Good, let the damn android squirm at the negative attention. Connor did _not_ squirm to Hanks annoyance. He did however apologize and back off which was good. It would have been nice for Connor to show a little more emotion, but for now this was good. “I went in that attic and I searched, I hurt my back because I was climbing under that fat bastard’s junk, and you think I didn’t do my _job_ right?”

Hank turned and returned to the crime scene, followed by a still apologizing Connor who had apparently realized any hope of a good impression had just died, if it ever even existed.

Hank spent the rest of the search making sure no one went into the attic, trying to stop people ‘wasting their time’, before announcing the android must have left weeks ago. The other people quickly agreed, sick of being in a stinking apartment with a rotting corpse late at night when they could be sleeping. No one particularly wanted to find his killer either, it was obvious Carlos was scum. They’d look sure, but probably not very hard.

Carlos’ murder would probably become yet another cold case. Shame.

Connor’s face twisted into a mask of annoyance as everyone began to pack up, discussing their plans quite happily. There was at least one mention of going to a pub, which Hank jumped on swiftly. There was no way Connor would follow him out drinking right? 

“Lieutenant, I really think I should be allowed to…”

“You do not touch, you do not speak. _You_ agreed Connor.” Hank snapped, as he watched them finish cleaning the area. All the other evidence would be delivered to Detroit PD headquarters, so the only reason Hank was staying was to both keep people out of the attic and to join in on the visit to the pub.

After getting his perception of androids altered, he needed a drink or five. Not a lecture from the android who’d taken to following him around and only obeying orders when it suited him. Connor went to talk again and very wisely stopped when he realized that Hank looked pissed off.

“Either accuse me of failing to do my job or stop wasting everyone’s time. It’s. Not. Here.” Hank finished slowly, enunciating every word clearly. Around them the detectives laughed at the speechless android, no one wanting to step in and save him from Hank’s anger like they would have if he was human.

“Send me the paperwork that needs to be signed.” Hank told the nearest officer who was on his way out. He looked important, so he’d probably shove all the work on Hank at the offer. As expected, the officer nodded and offered to pay for his drinks in return.

A good deal between officers.

“Connor, out.” Hank pointed, waiting for him to storm out like a child. Instead Connor walked out obediently, clearly heading to Hank’s car with blank eyes. Hank bit back a snort at the snub from the android, what was Connor going to do? Report him for not giving a damn?

“Well, lets go.” The officer who hadn’t given Hank his name yet announced as they all finished getting ready to go. Hank went to agree and realized Connor would be sat in his car until he dropped him off somewhere.

Damn it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment about what you think!


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